I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

Wang Caixia, who had just been appointed as the head of the guesthouse, took advantage of the shift change to gather everyone in the duty room. The small room was crammed with six or seven people, making it feel somewhat cramped.

She stood in the middle of the room, her gaze calmly sweeping over the familiar and unfamiliar faces. Some were adjusting their clothes, some were whispering to each other, and others were staring blankly out the window.

"Starting tomorrow," Wang Caixia's voice was soft but clearly audible, "we'll spend a week thoroughly cleaning each room. All the sheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases will be taken down and washed clean. The quilts and mattresses will all be taken out to the yard to air dry."

Before he finished speaking, a commotion broke out below.

"A week? All the rooms?" a middle-aged female worker with curly hair exclaimed first. "Foreman Wang, when will this work ever end?"

"Yeah, it's so hot right now, who can stand it?" another younger girl said, scoffing. "Don't we usually only change our clothes every few days?"

"If we wash the sheets and duvet covers so often, they'll wear out even faster, and the facility won't give us new ones..."

Complaints rose and fell, like a flock of startled sparrows. Some crossed their arms and sneered, some rolled their eyes, and others sighed loudly on purpose. Wang Caixia recognized all these faces—some of them had pointed and whispered behind her back, some had deliberately ignored her when she was too busy, and some had stood by and watched her make a fool of herself when customers were being difficult.

After Wang Caixia and the others' voices subsided slightly, she slowly spoke, her tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable force:

"If anyone feels they can't handle the job, they can say so now. The director said that if you can't do the work at the guesthouse, you can be transferred immediately." She paused, her gaze sweeping over those who had been shouting the loudest. "There are no vacancies in other positions right now, but the cleaning team—it's always short-staffed. Anyone want to go?"

The room fell silent instantly.

The cicadas' chirping outside the window suddenly became shrill. Some people shifted their feet awkwardly, others lowered their heads pretending to adjust their cuffs, and the girl who had just pouted turned her face away. No one spoke again.

"Since there isn't any," Wang Caixia said, turning her gaze away. "Then do as I say. Also, wipe down every table, bedside table, and cabinet in every room. Mop the floors clean, and make sure there's no dust in the corners or on the windowsills."

After she finished speaking, she gave a few more instructions on the handover process and then adjourned the meeting.

The crowd dispersed in a rustling sound, their footsteps reluctant and dragging. Wang Caixia stood there, listening to the murmurs and sighs fading into the distance, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.

Wang Caixia still remembers how they used to gossip about her behind her back—laughing at her for being too serious, mocking her for being inflexible, and saying she was currying favor with the boss. They would gather in groups of three or five, squeezing together at the same table to chat and laugh, and looking out for each other when scheduling shifts, but always excluding her. She wasn't unaware of those intentional or unintentional difficulties and sarcastic remarks, but back then, she could only endure them.

But it's different now.

She wanted to see what tricks these people could pull off against her.

After saying that, she stopped looking at them and turned to leave the duty room. The door closed behind her, and she could still vaguely sense the oppressive silence inside, a mixture of discontent and helplessness.

She went to the office on the third floor.

Pushing open the door, she saw Li Jing'an sitting behind his desk reading documents. He looked up and raised an eyebrow when he saw her.

Wang Caixia walked to the table, her expression changing to one of seriousness as she reported her work, mixed with a subtle hint of seeking affirmation: "Chief, I've already made the arrangements with them. Starting tomorrow, we'll do a thorough cleaning, wash and dry the bedding, and clean the rooms completely."

Li Jing'an put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, looked at her, and a playful smile gradually appeared on his face: "Oh? You agreed to everything? No objections?"

"At first there were some objections, but after I explained the institute's decision and the reassignment arrangements, everyone fell silent," Wang Caixia said, her tone carrying a hint of satisfaction at having completed her task.

Li Jing'an laughed, shook his head, and his eyes gleamed: "You're something else, Wang Caixia." He looked her over as if he were seeing her for the first time. "I didn't realize you were so... vindictive. Your method was good too; you just used your position as an excuse, saving so much trouble."

He patted his leg: "Come here."

Wang Caixia hesitated for a moment, but still walked around the table and was pulled over by him to sit on his lap. Li Jing'an's arm wrapped around her, his breath, tinged with the smell of smoke, brushing against her ear: "Well done, it's time to set some rules." His hand caressed her waist, and the praise in his words, like the action in his hand, carried an irresistible force.

Wang Caixia's body stiffened slightly. The soreness from the morning hadn't completely subsided. She instinctively shrank back and pleaded in a low voice, "No... Brother Li, I'm not better yet."

Her words only made things worse; Li Jing'an tightened his grip, squeezing her soft flesh until it ached. Wang Caixia hissed, her brows furrowing, tears welling in her eyes from the pain, but she bit her lip, not daring to push him away.

Li Jing'an seemed oblivious to her discomfort. He suddenly leaned close to her ear, his voice low and commanding: "Squat down."

Wang Caixia was taken aback and looked at him, puzzled.

She suddenly realized what he meant, hurriedly grabbed his wrist, and said in a trembling voice, "No... Brother Li."

Li Jing'an pressed down on her shoulder with one hand, using force.

~~~~~~~~

Li Jing'an had already sat down again, picked up the documents, as if nothing had happened. "Do a good job tomorrow," he said, his tone as casual as if he were giving instructions.

Wang Caixia mustered all her strength to squeeze out a muffled "hmm" from her throat, then almost staggered as she pulled open the door and rushed out of the office.

The corridor was deserted, the dim light illuminating her pale, disheveled face. She leaned against the cold wall, taking several deep breaths to steady her nearly collapsing body. It was well past closing time, and the guesthouse was eerily silent.

She walked slowly, step by step, toward the stairwell. Each step felt like walking on cotton, or on broken glass.

As she walked to the door of the duty room, she straightened her back again.

He went in, didn't speak to anyone, took her things, and left work.